The George Mason High School boys and girls swim teams came out on top last Saturday among teams from seven schools at the Bull Run District championship meet. In addition to winning district titles, Mustangs Erin McFall and Nick Roberson were recognized as the most outstanding swimmers of the day. The meet also saw school and district records set by Mason and by the end of the meet, cumulatively for the season, the Mustangs had qualified for the VHSL state meet in 21 out of 22 events.

The Mustangs set Bull Run District records in seven events. The girls 200-yard medley relay team (Erin McFall, Beth Cashin, King, and Julianne Kelly) lowered its time to 1:57.47, improving on last year’s record time by fractions of a second. Jared Britton set a record in the 50-yard freestyle (0:22.74), besting last year’s time set by then-senior Lucas Cherry. Cashin tied for first and the record with Emily Deem from Clarke County High School in the 50-yard freestyle (0:25:55). In the 100-yard freestyle, McFall lowered her time and record to 0:56:48. Miller Surette swam 1:04.33 for the Bull Run record in the 100-yard breaststroke. Roberson set a record time in the 100-yard backstroke with first place in 0:55:01, and lowered his time in the 200-yard freestyle, improving on his Bull Run time by nearly 10 seconds (1:46.74). His 200-yard freestyle finish also set a new Mason team record, as did Francesca King’s finish in the 100-yard fly (1:02.54).

Justin Britton added a VHSL time for the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.29) by tying with another swimmer for second place, behind teammate Roberson’s record-setting finish. The girls 400-yard freestyle relay was the other VHSL addition at this meet, with King, Celia Gieser, McFall and Cashin dropping more than two seconds off of the team’s time to finish first in 4:02.02.

The final score for the top four girls teams was Mason at 155, William Monroe High School at 93, Madison County High School at 70, and Clarke County at 66. For the boys the top four were Mason with 175.5, Central-Woodstock High School with 100, Clarke County with 83.5, and William Monroe with 48.

The Mustangs head to the regional meet next Saturday, Feb. 15, at Wakefield High School in Arlington.